Reflecting on Teamwork Experience: A Professional Development Report

This report provides a critical reflection on a student's personal experience working in a team during an MBA project. The report begins with an introduction on the importance of teamwork skills, followed by a discussion of the Tuckman team development model (forming, storming, norming, performing, and adjourning) and how it applied to the MBA project. The student then offers personal insights, contrasting the MBA project team experience with a previous experience in an organizing committee. The report identifies the student's core strengths, including communication, leadership, and problem-solving skills, and discusses the student's situational awareness within the team, including the team's culture and power dynamics. Finally, the report addresses areas for improvement, such as time management and motivation skills, and concludes by emphasizing the importance of developing various skills to enhance teamwork effectiveness and achieve team goals. References to books, journals and online resources are included to support the analysis.

PROFESSIONAL
DEVELOPMENT

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..........................................................................................................................2
THEORY ........................................................................................................................................2
PERSONAL INSIGHT ...................................................................................................................4
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE ..........................................................................................................4
SITUATIONAL AWARENESS ....................................................................................................6
ACTION .........................................................................................................................................6
CONCLUSION ...............................................................................................................................6
REFERENCES ...............................................................................................................................7

Illustration Index
Illustration 1: Tuckman's teams.......................................................................................................2
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INTRODUCTION
In order to work in the team an individual is required certain type of skills. Here, by using
the combinations of different type of skills only, the work which is being carried out by the
members of team can be managed (Zepeda, 2011). This report critically reflect my own personal
experience while working in team.
THEORY
During the last semester of MBA, I have to prepare MBA project. This is the group
assignment and thus I have formed the team of 4-5 members. However, with an aim to segregate
the roles and responsibility of each members in team who are associated with the given project, I
have gone through the number of stages. In order to explain the same, I have taken help from the
Tuckman team model. The model was given by Bruce Tuckman in the year 1965. Here,
Tuckman has suggested the five basic stages of group development (Tuckman team development
model, 2015). We have also gone through with the given stages when we are preparing ourselves
for the MBA project. The detailed description about the same is depicted in below:
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Illustration 1: Tuckman's teams
(Source: Tuckman's teams, 2015)

 Forming: It is the first stage of team development in which individuals who are given
specific responsibility meet together for very first time. I have also gone through with the
given phase. In this context, I and my team mates have taken decision to meet at the
specific place. For this purpose, we have selected my home. Here, I am totally unaware
about the nature and attitude of the individuals to whom which I am going to meet at my
home. Storming: In the next stage, we have start the discussion about the project. Here, each
individuals in a team have expressed their own opinions regarding the type of topic to be
choose and ways with the help of which whole MBA projects will be carried out. At this
stage, I have assessed some dynamics in my group. In this context, I have identified that
some members in our group are more aggressive in nature. They always try to dominate
the other people. In addition to this, they also wanted that whatever opinions which they
express needs to be accepted by the other members in group (Penuel and et.al., 2007).
Due to the presence of such members, some little conflicts have occurred while making
the decision about MBA project. However, at last we have selected suitable topic for our
project. Norming: At this stage, we have taken the decision regarding how whole work with
respect to the MBA project will be carried out. In this regard, I have taken initiate with
regard to segregate the roles and responsibilities of each person in team. Here, for some
individual I had given task to gather all the relevant information about our project. In the
similar way, some individual were given responsibility with regard to prepare the whole
structure of project. Thus, it is by complying with the given type of activity only I have
set the direction of project. Performing: In this stage, the work as per the assigned responsibility is being carried out
by us. There are many conflicts occur during the given phase. However, I have taken
assistance from my own skills with an aim to resolve the conflict which have occurred in
the team.
 Adjourning: Finally in the last step, we have completed the assigned MBA project. Thus,
our team get vanished in the given phase. Thus, each individuals in the team are
separated and has been again involved in their own routine work. Thus, this is the basic
process which I have gone through while working in team.
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PERSONAL INSIGHT
Before working in the team for MBA project, I have also worked with the other team. In
this context, in last year my college has organized the paper presentation competition. In this
competition, my tutor had given me an opportunity with regard to become the part of an
organizing committee. Being the member of that committee I have the responsibility with regard
to make and organize all the necessary arrangements for the specific activity. I was the only
junior in that team, however rest of the other team mates are my seniors or teachers. Thus, being
the members of organizing committee was totally different experience from the MBA project.
One basic difference which I had identified is related to the type of team. Here, while
preparing the MBA project, we behaved in a very informal manner. This is because, we all
belong to same category and level. In addition to this, we had not felt any kind of hesitation
when any of us have to present our view point in front of other (Nutley, 2008).
However, I had gained totally different experience when I was the part of organizing
committee. Here, I felt that this was more of formal team. This is because, here each individuals
were behaving in a more formalized manner. In addition to this, being the junior fellow of team I
felt hesitated when I have to confront my view point in front of others who are my teachers and
seniors. In addition to this, I also believe that there is a very less contribution is being given by
me while working in the organizing committee. Overall, it can be said that my experience of
working in organizing committee is not that much effective.
Thus, I totally believe that I was more effective in MBA project team. This is because,
while working in team I have explored different type of skills. In addition to this, it is because of
this team only I have explored my team management related ability. In addition to this, the given
team has also provided me an opportunity with regard to confront my opinions in front of other
individual without any kind of hesitation. Overall, it can be said that I have gained different type
of experience in terms of learning opportunity while working in two different teams.
PERSONAL EXPERIENCE
I have identified some core strength which has helped me with regard to attain the goal of
the team in an effective manner. The detailed description about the same is depicted in below: Communication skill: I think that I am good communicator. In this regard, I found myself
very effective when I have to communicate the goal of team to my team mates. Here,
with an aim to communicate the same I take help from both verbal and non verbal
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communication skill. Here, it is with the help of skill only I will be able to direct my
efforts in terms of communicating the message to my team mates in an effectual manner.
This skill has helped a lot during the MBA project (Emmerik and et.al., 2012). Here, with
the help of given skill only I have carried out the segregation of the roles and
responsibility which needs to be fulfilled by each members associated with the MBA
project. Leadership skill: It is my another core strength. In this context, I found myself very much
capable with respect to lead the individual towards the right direction. In addition to this,
I also make use of different type of leadership styles with an aim to manage the varied
type of individuals who behaves differently. For example, there are some people in MBA
project who behave in aggressive manner. Thus, with an aim to handle the given
individual I have used the autocratic type of leadership style. With the help of given style
only I was able to carried out my efforts with regard to given an appropriate direction to
the team mates in an effectual manner.
 Problem solving skill: I believe that I am the good problem solver. This is because, I have
personally explored this skill during the MBA project. Here, while making the decision
about the type of topics which needs to be chosen for the respected project many conflicts
were occurred between me and my team mates. This is because, each members of team
have some different area of interest. Here, some individuals are demanding that we must
choose HR topics. However, some individuals are saying that we must prepare project
upon marketing topic. With an aim to resolve the given issue, I have used my given skill.
In this regard, I have taken initiative with regard to assess some mid solution with respect
to the assessed problem. Thus, this skill has also helped in resolving the conflicts which
have occurred in my team.
In order to build trust with the other team members, I used to comply with the different
type of activity. In this context, I always make sure that I must take views and opinions of the
other team members before reaching on to the particular solution. In addition to this, I will not
hide any important points associated with the project from my team mates. In addition to this, I
also make sure that each members must be actively participate in the respective project. Thus, it
is by complying with the given type of activity only I have established the trust with other
members in team.
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SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
The culture and power relationship is identified with respect to my MBA project team. In
this team, we have promoted a very open type of culture. In this regard, we have made efforts in
terms of giving each team members an equal opportunity with regard to represent their view
point in front of the other members of team in an effectual way. In addition to this, it is because
of the given type of culture only me and my team mates have prepared an effective project for
our MBA session (Heaney, 2004). However, the members who have worked in a team possess
different type of powers. For example, here one individual had given authority to make final
decision about the project. This is done with an aim to reduce the condition such as team
conflicts in an effectual manner. In addition to this, in the given team I have played the role of
leader. In this regard, I have given direction to my team mates. Furthermore, some members of
team have the power with regard to gather the necessary resources related with the MBA project.
ACTION
I am blessed with number of team management skill however, I still believe myself
inefficient in varied skills. By carrying out improvement in the given skills I can enhance the
effectiveness of my team. In this regard, it can be said that I do not have good time management
skill. I always face difficulty in terms of prioritizing my work. Due to this, I will not being able
to carry out my efforts with regard to complete the assigned task within specified tenure. In
addition to this, I also believe that I do not have good motivational skill. Here, with an aim to
manager the team appropriately an individual will require good motivational ability. If the given
thing is found as absent at that time it will become difficult for the person with respect to achieve
the goal of team in an effectual manner. Thus, by carrying out improvement in the assessed two
skills, I can enhance the effectiveness of the team in an effectual manner.
CONCLUSION
It can be concluded that by developing different type of skills, the work of team can be
carried out by the individual in an effectual manner. Through this way, goal of team can be met.
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REFERENCES
Books, journals and online
Emmerik, V. H. and et.al., 2012. The route to employability: Examining resources and the
mediating role of motivation. Career Development International. 17(2). pp. 104-119.
Heaney, L., 2004. Leading professional development: a case study. International Journal of
Educational Management. 18(1). pp. 37–48.
Nutley, T., 2008. The Little Book of Personal Development. 2nd ed. Tony Nutley.Jetmore, L. F.,
2005. The Path of the Warrior: An Ethical Guide to Personal & Professional Development in
the Field of Criminal Justice. Looseleaf Law Publications.
Penuel, R. W. and et.al., 2007. What makes professional development effective? Strategies that
foster curriculum implementation. American Educational Research Journal. 44(4). pp. 921-
958.
Tuckman team development model. 2015. [Online]. Available through:
<http://kfknowledgebank.kaplan.co.uk/KFKB/Wiki%20Pages/Tuckman%27s%20stages
%20of%20team%20development.aspx>. [Accessed on 16 December 2015].
Zepeda, J. S., 2011. Professional Development: What Works. 2nd ed. Eye On Education.
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